Microsoft: We are thinking of offering bonuses to fast payers

Microsoft Romania, the local subsidiary of the largest software producer worldwide, could consider offering discounts to partners who pay their bills on time or ahead of time, after the company’s decision to become more flexible in terms of payment deadlines generated positive feedback from its partners. “Some of the resellers we are working with have started to experience small operational difficulties in the current economic context, and we have tried to be more flexible when it comes to payment dates. For many this has been a breath of fresh air. We are now thinking about offering discounts of a few percentage points to fast payers, which could help them in terms of their cash flow,” Florin Ivan, Partner Strategy & Programs Manager of Microsoft Romania, told ZF. Late payment of bills has become a generalised phenomenon in the economy starting with the last few months of 2008. Microsoft Romania operates almost exclusively via a wide partner network, which includes around 3,500 companies. Microsoft has the most extensive partnership network of all IT companies on the Romanian market, while most local subsidiaries of IT multinationals work with a few dozens of partners.